How C2M Is Powering the Industrial Internet Boom in 2021

From the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s 2021‑2023 Industrial Internet Innovation Action Plan to the recent 14th Five‑Year Plan and 2035 vision, the Chinese government has repeatedly emphasized the industrial internet and the need to support common‑base technologies for manufacturing upgrades.

Policy support is turning the industrial internet into a high‑expectation sector, offering a launchpad for companies that position themselves on this track. Leveraging the industrial internet to drive digital transformation meets both corporate needs and post‑pandemic “dual circulation” demands.

The C2M (Customer‑to‑Manufacturer) model, representing customized smart manufacturing, is emerging as the starting point for many supply‑chain firms.

C2M’s core is “produce to order” based on market demand, requiring rapid, small‑batch, even personalized production capabilities to respond swiftly while avoiding excess inventory, though it raises questions about optimal production ratios and profit maximization.

Achieving true “produce to order” hinges on two factors: real‑time consumer demand response and accurate market trend insight, both of which depend on precise data guidance.

Suning’s C2M platform illustrates this: by feeding accurate data into factories, Suning enables intelligent manufacturing upgrades, seamless data integration, and flexible production. AIoT connects devices, retailers, and manufacturers, dramatically boosting cross‑side coordination and aligning with Chinese consumers’ demand for high‑value, personalized, IP‑driven products.

A concrete example is Sunning’s “small Biu” refrigerator series. Big‑data analysis revealed a strong consumer preference for 420‑500 L capacity, energy efficiency, and slim dimensions. In response, Suning launched a 468 L dual‑door model with a 60 cm thin body, 90° opening, top‑tier energy efficiency, and high‑efficiency inverter, selling over 400,000 units within a year.

Further data‑driven customization led to varied features across capacities, such as free‑temperature storage for 226 L units and compartmentalized storage for 440 L models.

Suning’s upcoming “small Biu” brand day (March 26‑28) will showcase a range of smart appliances at ultra‑low prices, underscoring the commercial push.

Suning Group Chairman Zhang Jindong stated, “Based on big‑data analysis of users, we believe that driving upstream product manufacturing through C2M/C2B will become a core profit engine for Suning’s future retail.”

To accelerate large‑scale C2M rollout, Suning has created an S division to tap its 700 million‑member base, using data to enhance supply‑chain efficiency and aiming for C2M to account for 20 % of total revenue within three years.

The C2M model can deliver scale benefits for platform enterprises, and when combined with an industry‑wide “dream linkage,” it can significantly boost overall industrial development.

In Shengzhou, a major Chinese integrated‑stove hub, the local government signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Suning C2M, granting the region full support from Suning’s “Flying‑to‑the‑Sky” plan, including full‑chain solutions, omnichannel retail support, and professional operations assistance, as well as dedicated “Shengzhou Integrated‑Stove” showcase zones in prime city locations.

More importantly, both parties will deepen C2M reverse‑customization cooperation, using Suning’s data system to quickly discern user needs, precisely empower production, and create “super new products,” fostering flexible manufacturing transformation and revitalizing the industrial‑internet ecosystem.

“Digital insight into true consumer needs” is becoming a consensus across industries. In the coming years, building specialized industrial‑internet platforms for key sectors and regions, and aggregating industry knowledge on these platforms, will be a top priority, heralding the anticipated golden age of the industrial internet.